Super PAC ad twists truth on Maine candidate’s welfare voting record

A super PAC’s attack ad in the race for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District claims that Democratic candidate Jared Golden voted for people to purchase tattoos, tobacco, alcohol, lottery tickets with with welfare dollars.

The ad comes from the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC focused on strengthening and maintaining the Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. Golden, a state representative, is looking to unseat two-term incumbent Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin in November.

The super PAC’s claim refers to a state law passed in 2016 that limits people on Maine Temporary Assistance for Needy Families from using Electronic Benefits Transfer cards to purchase a laundry list of items, including tattoos, tobacco, alcohol and lottery tickets.

This state law passed Maine’s House of Representatives 206-38 with bipartisan support.

Golden was one of the 38 representatives who voted against the bill. He told the Sun Journal he opposes misuse of welfare funds, but the state-level restrictions were unnecessary because federal rules already prohibit using welfare money for items like tattoos, tobacco and alcohol.

Golden spokesman Bobby Reynolds said just because Golden voted against that bill, it doesn’t mean he voted in favor of using welfare dollars for controversial purchases.

Reynolds said that if the bill failed, Mainers would still be barred from using TANF funds to purchase those items under federal rules.

"It was a solution in search of a problem," Reynolds said. "To be clear, Jared Golden opposes the use of SNAP and TANF for such purchases."

However, it’s worth noting that Maine’s 2016 law is more restrictive than federal law.

The federal law does not restrict transactions at grocery stores that sell alcohol or that have "gaming activities." It also does not regulate how cash that has been withdrawn with an EBT card can be used. Maine's 2016 law also does not address cash withdrawals.

"It would be virtually impossible to effectively monitor and implement such a restriction," Schott said.

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